Individual battles highlight of Ponting tribute game

They are some of the individual battles that will be on offer during the Ricky Ponting Tribute Game later this month, following confirmation of Team Ponting and Team Gilchrist, which will face off in the Twenty20 encounter at Aurora Stadium.

But Ponting, who has selected the teams himself, will have to call on one of his reserves to replace fellow Brooks High School graduate Daniel Geale, after the former world champion yesterday confirmed his next fight would be against Garth Woods in Sydney on February 19.

Ponting said yesterday he had enjoyed the job of "finally" being a sole selector of a team and said he'd had fun trying to create two even teams, given his squad was heavy on batsmen.

"The guys currently playing might have a bit of an advantage, so I needed to split Ed Cowan, Brett Lee, Phil Hughes and Mike Hussey up," Ponting said.

Ponting confirmed that Brett Lee and Damien Fleming would open the bowling for either side, but said Tasmanian under-19 representatives Casey Young and Corey Murfet were both "going to be heavily relied upon when their teams bowl".

The squad's AFL talent - Richmond's Jack Riewoldt and Brett Deledio, Hodge and Roughead (Hawthorn) and North Melbourne's Drew Petrie and Brent Harvey - will all play opposite their club teammates.

"I think I've managed to create two pretty even teams on paper, so I reckon we will put on a really good spectacle," Ponting said.

Ponting's manager, James Henderson, warned yesterday players with Big Bash League commitments (Brett Lee, Mike Hussey and Phil Hughes) may not be able front up if their teams qualified for that competition's semi-finals.

The playing strips for the match have also been revealed, with Ponting using the maroon, gold and white of his original club, Mowbray, while Gilchrist's team will wear a predominantly blue uniform.

More than 8000 tickets for the game have been sold, with Henderson predicting reserved seats to be sold by the end of next week.

A crowd of 15,000 has been tipped, with all proceeds going to the Ponting Foundation.